1972 (D) Kennedy Half Dollar - CU-50c-1972D-01 Rim Cud

Description

Primary entry in the Cuds on Coins catalog for the 1972 Denver Kennedy Half Dollar (CU-50c-1972D-01), this rim cud records the loss of part of the die's rim gutter, which appears on the coin as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. No independent cross-references exist beyond the Cuds on Coins designation. The 1972-D Kennedy Half Dollar was produced at the Denver Mint during a period of transition for the denomination — half dollars had been struck in 40% silver clad from 1965 through 1970 before transitioning to the standard copper-nickel clad composition beginning with the 1971 issue. By 1972, the Denver Mint was producing half dollars exclusively in copper-nickel clad (11.34 grams, 30.61 mm diameter), and these coins circulated more readily than their silver predecessors because the intrinsic metal value no longer approached or exceeded face value. The large diameter of the half dollar makes rim cuds on this denomination particularly visible and collectible — a cud spanning even a small angular arc of the 30.61 mm rim creates a substantial raised feature that is readily apparent to the unaided eye. Gilroy Roberts's Kennedy obverse portrait and Frank Gasparro's presidential coat of arms reverse — adapted from the presidential seal with a heraldic eagle, shield, olive branch, and arrows — define the design. The D mintmark on the obverse identifies Denver production. Rim cud formation on half dollar dies follows the same metal fatigue mechanism as smaller denominations but involves greater striking pressure due to the larger planchet area, which may contribute to the stress patterns that initiate die fractures at the rim. The cud's boundaries, where the normal design rim meets the raised interruption, can be examined under low magnification to assess the fracture geometry and die stage.

Cross References

• CU-50c-1972D-01; number: none.

External References